Life. Frustrations. Triumphs. Failures–and Korean stars

Actor Joo Ji-hoon sentenced but will not go to jail

Actor Ju Ji-hun (aka Joo Ji-hoon) was given a suspended jail term and community service after he was convicted of illegal drug use.

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced the 27-year-old Tuesday to a six-month prison term suspended for one year, 120 hours of community service and 360,000 won in fines.

Joo Ji-hoon outside the Seoul District Court

Ju was indicted without physical detention last month for taking ecstasy tablets and ketamine at model-turned-actor Ye Hak-young’s home in Seoul in April last year.

“The drug use of a celebrity like Ju can exert an evil influence on society, because people, especially juveniles, can follow his behavior, and ecstasy and ketamine are relatively cheap and easy to obtain compared with other narcotics,” the court said.

“However, we decided to give the suspended term because he took the drugs only on a couple of occasions, has no previous criminal records, and is reflecting on his wrongdoing. We also took many petitions asking for a lenient punishment for him into consideration,” it said.

The court handed down a three-year jail sentence to actress Yun Seol-hee for smuggling 280 ecstasy tablets and 280 grams of ketamine from Japan and using the drugs with Ju and others.

Ye and another female model, identified as Jeon, were also indicted for taking the drugs and each given 30-month jail terms suspended for four years, two years of probation and 200 hours of community service.

After making his debut as a model, Ju starred in dramas “Princess Hours” and “The Hanged Man,” and movies “Antique” and “The Naked Kitchen.” (Korea Times)